Bood and Bad Bishops


The "good Bishop" is the one that is on the opposite color squares of your center pawns.
This means the "good Bishop" will be on the same color squares as your opponents pawns and so can attack them.

'Good' Bishop          'Good' Bishop
"Good" Bishop          "Bad" Bishop

The "bad Bishop" is the one that is on the same color squares as your center pawns.
Note:" Your "bad Bishop" is opponents "good Bishop"!


'Good' Bishop
"Good" Bishop

From the Exeter Chess Site -

A bishop hemmed in by its own pawns on the same colour squares is called a bad bishop. It is sometimes tempting to put pawns on the same colour squares as the bishop, particularly in the ending, with the hope that the bishop will defend them. Well, unfortunately, the bishop will probably be so blocked by the pawns that it can hardly defend itself. Depending on what other pieces there are on the board, the opponent's king will probably be able to slip in between the pawns, and the bishop won't be able to stop it.

You want your pawns on one colour square, and the bishop on the other, in the middle game and the ending.

So be careful where you put your pawns, and don't get your bishops stuck one side or the other of a chain of pawns.


From the Exeter Chess Site -

      In  OPEN  positions, the two bishops are boss.

      In  CLOSED  positions, the knights may be better.

      In  SEMI-OPEN  positions. well...
The side with the two bishops must not let the knight(s) settle on any outposts, and can create trouble on both sides of the board at once when the poor knights will be hard-put to keep up. It's generally though that the two bishops are good enought to win.


What to do with the "bad Bishop" -

  1. trade it for opponents Bishop; or
  2. trade it for a well placed Knight.

More articles can be found at:
http://www.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/bishops.html


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